Creating a Stamped Circus Doll Dress

Each week i share something i have created based on a theme.

This week the theme is "circus".

So, i thought about that i wanted to do something with the circus tent "fabric" and then i remembered i had a Tim Holtz red rubber stamp called, Big Top, that i thought was so fun when i purchased it and i hadn't used it yet.

So this is what i did:

First i cut out the stripe dress pattern on the bias because i wanted the diagonal stripe instead of a vertical or horizontal stripe. I added gold rick rack to the sleeve hem.

To create the image, i found a scrap of cotton muslin thinking it would take the ink better than a polyester fabric. I knew i was going to make it an applique so i added heat and bond to the back of the muslin and then i put it in my stamp platform that also had a sticky mat so it could hold the fabric well, i still used the magnet and washi tape to hold it down. I knew i'd have to stamp the image several times and the platform allowed me to do that without the fabric moving.

I tried the dress on the doll without the stamped image applique, so i could see where i wanted to iron the applique on. Once i was happy, i ironed it on and hand stitched around it using the button hold stitch.

Now for embellishing...

I had gold tulle in my stash and gathered a piece for the bodice and for the hem of the skirt. I added red pompoms to the tulle on the bodice.

For the appliques, i added gold beads, iridescent beads and embroidery floss.

I used Kelibu - Mori Girl Collared Dress. (I added 1/4" to the shoulder seam)

Because i added 1/4" to the seam i had to make a sleeve with more width. (this pattern doesn't come with a sleeve, so i used another pattern and widened it)

I also cut a strip of fabric on the bias to make a neck facing.